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Thursday, 20 March 2014

Mothers Day Gift Tutorials - Lavender Heart

Here is another quick and easy gift to make for Mothers Day. A lovely lavender heart with a little message on the back.

Please note that we have recently updated this tutorial to make an even easier version with a fab You Tube video to show you how. The new instructions are at the end of this original tutorial along with the new video.

You will need:2 small pieces of fabric.We used a selection from the Sew Scrumptious website.A small piece of ribbonA buttonStuffingDried lavender (optional)To personalise with a messagePlain cream tape or ribbonT shirt transfer paper (available in Asda and WHS stores).To make the message labelType out what you want your label to say in a pretty font e.g. Happy Mother's Day. Flip the text before you print it so it is back to front (mirror image) and then print out onto the transfer paper. I do several versions and sizes to make sure I have spares.

Cut out the message to the size of the tape and place face down on your plain tape. You should be able to see the words through the backing paper so make sure they are facing the right way. Iron on using the instructions in your pack. You usually just hold the iron over the tape for several minutes.

Wait until cool and then pull the backing paper off to reveal the text on the tape.

To make the heart:Draw or print out a heart template. Any size is fine. Cut out 2 heart shapes from your fabrics.

If you are making a message label sew this on before you start.

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Place the 2 heart shapes together with the right sides facing outwards on both sides and sew all around the edge using your sewing foot as a guide. This will be approx. 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave a gap on one side large enough to add some stuffing. Make sure you sew backwards and forwards at the start and finish of your sewing to secure the stitches.

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I usually add a mix of both stuffing and lavender and sandwich the lavender in the middle. Push the stuffing in to the heart through the gap making sure it goes to the top and bottom of the heart shape.

Then add some dried lavender to the middle to make it small nice! You will need to add a bit more stuffing after to make sure the heart is fully padded and a nice shape. If you don't have any lavender it doesn't matter. It still looks pretty as a hanging heart.

Sew up the gap. You can do this by hand or if you push the stuffing to one side you should be able to do this on your machine although it can be a bit fiddly. Finish off your thread ends neatly. Using a pair of pinking shears trim all around the edge to give it a nice finish and to prevent fraying.

Choose a matching ribbon and make a small hanging loop by crossing over the ribbon. Choose a button and sew on to the ribbon to secure in the cross shape. You can then attach the ribbon loop to the hanging heart at the same time as sewing on the button securely.

The finished Lavender Heart!

If you don't want to make a message tag, you could always add a little pocket for a handwritten note maybe?

New Version:The new version is very similar and you will need the same items but keep your fabric pieces slighly bigger than your heart template as we will cut into a heart shape at a later stage than before.

Trace around the heart template directly onto the right side of one of the fabric pieces.

Pin to the other piece of fabric wrong sides together.

Put onto your sewing machine and sew together with the edge of your sewing machine against the drawn line. Make sure to sew a few stitches at the start and finish to secure and leave a 3 or 4cm gap open to stuff the heart.

Push some wadding into the heart until the heart is nicely padded. Add some lavender if you wish.

Push the wadding to one side and pin so that you can sew up the gap in the seam. Make sure you use a few back stitches to the start and finish to secure.

Take some pinking shears and trim off the excess fabric using your orignal line as a cutting guide.

Fold the ribbon in a loop and catch in place with a stitch before attaching a button then sew in place at the top of your heart.

Hang up and admire.

Don't forget to have a look at our Handbag Size Tissue Holder Tutorial too. Another perfect Mothers Day Gift!